Treatment Grant Recipient Testimonials

Your donations go directly to helping eating disorder sufferers to recover and gain back their lives. Hear from our treatment grant recipients on what the Project HEAL Treatment Grant means to them.

Written by Lieba

I am eternally grateful to Project HEAL for believing in me and seeing what I could not see for so many years in myself. They believed that I Lieba had the strength to fight for recovery. Thank you Project HEAL for giving me another chance. Thank you for picking me up when I was down and letting me have this incredible life changing experience. I know I can go out there and change the world and I could not have gotten to that mindset without Project HEAL. So thank you, thank you for being my cheerleader.

Written by Amanda

Project HEAL has given me the opportunity to get my life back and no words will ever be able to express how thankful I am for the journey I am currently embarking on. I know this journey will not be a straight line, there will be setbacks, there will be triumphs, there will be obstacles; but I do know that because of Project HEAL I have a rock solid support system behind me and the tactics to endure on this road to full recovery. I am eternally grateful for Liana, Kristina and the wonderful gift of Project HEAL.

Written by Danielle

After battling my eating disorder for nearly a decade and with no financial means or insurance to help with treatment costs, I didn’t know how I could ever really recover. I was gifted a treatment grant and if there were a greater word for “gift” I would use it here. It was as if every prayer had been answered. Project HEAL reached out and told me I had a life worth saving. And that five letter word, worth, has carried me to where I am today.

Written by Jordan

Project HEAL enabled me to stay in residential treatment longer than I would have otherwise been able to, and that means the world to me. Without the Project HEAL grant, I don’t know what my life would be like now. I may have had to give up time at college, may not have been able to see the places in the world I’ve now seen, or may not have met people I did as a result of living a better and more independent life. It feels good to enjoy food, be present, and take advantage of the capacity to fully be the woman I am. I really do owe a lot of this to Project HEAL’s gift. Thank you always!

Written by Caroline

Project HEAL changed my life when finances were hindering me from getting the level of care I needed. Project HEAL has allowed me to more fully trust that I am capable of feeding my body in ways that are satisfying to my soul, and continue building the self esteem that makes life more manageable. I am forever grateful for Liana and Kristina for their unreserved compassion and work for this community.

Written by Crystal

I am forever grateful for the family and support I have discovered in Project HEAL. They have literally given me a second chance to learn life skills. Through therapy, learning healthy coping skills, setting boundaries, having support through grief and acceptance, I am gradually building a solid foundation.

Written by Stephanie

The grant from Project HEAL provided me with the opportunity to receive treatment for my decade-long eating disorder, something I couldn’t have afforded on my own. Receiving treatment undoubtedly saved my life, gifting me with hope in a future filled with self-love and a healthy body image I never imagined was possible to achieve. I am eternally grateful to Project HEAL for believing in me enough to make such an investment in my recovery and life.

Written by Teresa

Since the age of 9 I have suffered from an eating disorder. For fifteen years I fought this fight alone; up until February of 2014, when Project HEAL came to my rescue. Through the incredible generosity of Project HEAL, I began my journey in treatment. Project HEAL supported me tirelessly throughout my four months of treatment; I am forever grateful to you all. A year ago I was buried in denial of my illness; now I wake up fighting.

Written by Adam

The Project HEAL treatment grant has impacted my life by giving me hope, inspiration and aspiration of leading an independent life where I can explore my dreams, wants and desires without having to worry about the views and opinions I placed on food. It provided me with a sense of security to know that I could receive help that was needed for me to maneuver life’s obstacles while being able to enjoy my days with the one’s I love and doing what I love most, living.

Written by Mandy

My experience with Project HEAL was nothing short of life-changing. Receiving the treatment grant has transformed me. I just want to say that Project HEAL is the best-kept secret in the U.S. I know many people struggling with similar eating disorders; it truly is an epidemic in our society. But treatment is so costly and it takes quite a bit of coordination and time to get into one let alone pay for it. Project HEAL save lives and empowers people to overcome a debilitating illness.

Written by Karina

Project HEAL helped me take all the necessary steps to arrive at a treatment facility that I desperately needed. Then, my preserving, experienced and compassionate treatment team took the reins and led me to the shores of recovery. Now, I finally have the tools to cultivate a healthy, whole hearted and compassionate lifestyle. The goals and ambitions I have set for myself are no longer out of sight; I know my future plans are possible. Nonetheless, recovery isn’t over. It continues to be an active, daily choice that I must work hard for. Eventually, recovery will evolve into a natural course of events, but in the meantime, I will choose recovery. Thank you Project HEAL!

Written by Elizaveta

I am very fortunate to have Kristina and Liana supporting me in my recovery. I am so grateful that the Project HEAL gave me an opportunity to start my life over. It’s my pleasure to be the recipient of this grant and represent this organization. Before I started my treatment, it felt like I was standing one foot in the water and one foot ashore. I really wanted to go swimming, but was afraid to let go my behaviors. Today, I am barely starting testing the water, but I know that one day I will be able to go swimming!!! Thank you very much for giving me a chance!!!

Written by Theresa

For the past year and a half, I have been in recovery. However, student loans and a large hospital bill left me with inconsistent treatment since moving back to northern California. Project HEAL has truly provided me with the best opportunity. I can now have more frequent and appropriate treatment so that I can reach my goals and ultimately become a therapist myself. The things that Project HEAL stands for – helping others reach their full potential and get their life back – is what I want to be able to do for others in the future. The enjoyment I am now getting from living a full life and pursuing my goals for the future serve as my inspiration for choosing recovery every day and accepting support, no matter how difficult. Project HEAL understands, and there is nothing better than feeling supported when we feel we can’t overcome some of the bumps we encounter on our road to recovery.

Written by Tricia

Receiving the treatment grant from Project HEAL came at the best possible opportunity. I had taken out a personal loan to receive the residential treatment I needed, but I wasn’t ready to leave treatment when my loan money was exhausted. Luckily, I received the grant and was able to extend my stay and tackle the issues that had encouraged my eating disorder for over ten years. Thank you Project HEAL for all of the work you do in educating the world on eating disorders and their treatment. I feel privileged to have received your help and I am awed by the impact you have made on my life and the lives of so many others.

Written by Carla

When Project HEAL called and told me that I had been awarded a treatment grant, I was standing in front of the mirror and at that moment I began to see who I wanted to be. Project HEAL gave me the armor, gave me the tools, and gave me the hope I needed to make it let go. Thank you Project HEAL for giving me warmth, leading me to the light, and extending a sense of comfort, when all I had was it keeping me cold, keeping me strained, and keeping all I could be somewhere in the dark.

Written by Caroline

Because of Project HEAL, I was given a new life. I hope that my experiences can show others that recovery is possible. My dream is to be a nurse and a care technician. I’m going to make a difference for others just like Project HEAL made a difference for me.

Written by Katherine

When Liana and Kristina called me to tell me that I was awarded a Project HEAL treatment grant, it was a gift that changed my life. I had always believed that I was alone. It wasn’t until last year, during several months of intensive treatment where I received the care that I had needed for 15 years and the acknowledgment that somebody believed in my worth enough to be responsible for sending me there, that I began to believe that I am not alone. It is this gift that has made my life worth living and fighting for. My gratitude to Project HEAL for giving me a second chance at the life I worked so hard to build is unending.

Written by Kelsey

Project HEAL changed my life. Being able to go to treatment has radically changed who I am as a person, how I interact with others, and, most importantly, how I interact with myself. Without Project HEAL, I firmly believe that I would not be pursuing my goals, and that the life that I was living before would have been all that I ever lived–I could not get myself out of the hole I had found myself in alone. I needed help. Project HEAL saved my life. Without it, I am afraid of who I would be today. There is never enough that I can do to thank Project HEAL and it’s amazing founders, Liana and Kristina. For now, all I can do is share their message, live a life that I deserve, and allow this beautiful organization to have changed my life–as much as my rolling eyes hate to admit it, it is something that I am grateful for every single day.

Written by Paloma

No words could be enough to express how thankful I am for the opportunity Project HEAL gave to me to get my life back. I can finally say I’m living, not just surviving. I can enjoy the happy moments in life – not constantly worrying about how I look, and how much weight I need to lose. I will forever be thankful to both Kristina and Liana for helping me on the journey to recovery.

Written by Samantha

Project HEAL allowed me to go with my parents to a full week of intensive family treatment. The therapists there gave me information and the tools I needed to help fight off the monster in my head. They gave me the power to lift myself up again. It was hard returning to school, with all the new rules and regulations. But I had a new spirit of hope and a more vivacious personality. I got my energy back! Eating lunch was no longer a chore, but a time talk with my friends about boys and have fun. I no longer felt isolated from the world. I now feel welcome and safe. Thank you, Project HEAL, for giving me my life back.

Written by Kim

When I first heard about Project HEAL, I was in a very dark and hopeless place in my life. I was so consumed by my eating disorder that not only did I believe recovery was impossible for me, but also that I wasn’t worth saving. I was lost. When Project HEAL awarded me the treatment grant, they gave me the chance to get my life back. They gave me a chance to get the treatment I needed and would have been unable to get on my own. It was truly the chance of a lifetime! I completed residential treatment in April 2012 and returned home with a renewed sense of hope—recovery IS possible, even for me.

Written by Nina

I had booked a 3 week trip to Israel for the beginning of 2016. I was terrified to leave my support system for any longer than that. Because of Project HEAL, I was able to take my therapist and dietician with me by way of Skype. I extended my trip. I learned more about myself than ever before. Because of the Project HEAL treatment grant, I challenged myself in all those areas and thrived. Because of the grant, I met a wonderful man who I am now engaged to. We met the week after I initially planned to return to the US. We will be living in Israel permanently after the wedding. Eating disorder recovery is not a short process and unfortunately not an affordable one either. Had I stopped receiving treatment in Jan 2016 when I lost my job, I know that I would not have a life I have today. Project HEAL picked up where I little choice than to put down. I am and will be eternally grateful for the support that I have been given.

Written by Michelle

Before Project HEAL’s assistance, when trying to get the help I knew I needed, my insurance didn’t cover any treatment. My eating disorder loved this and just before my motivation to keep fighting and searching for somewhere that would help me got down to zero, I found Project HEAL. Recovery is hard. Treatment is hard. But one of the things that got me through my tough days was remembering that the amazing women of Project HEAL believed in me enough and had the faith in me that I not alone could achieve recovery but that I deserve it as well. I am so thankful and blessed to be granted this lifesaving treatment. I will never stop fighting for the life I deserve to life, a life free from the fear and insecurities that once controlled me.

Written by Kristin

There are not adequate words for me to express my gratitude to Project HEAL for giving me a chance and caring to reach out a hand of rescue- to ME. In return, I will continue to care for and nurture the gift given to me by walking out and living a life of recovery, no matter what and even when it is difficult. I also want to be a mouthpiece of hope and a hand of rescue for others in need. In that way, the gift given to me will reach beyond just this one life, and Lord willing, to many more. From the bottom of my now hopeful heart, Project HEAL, THANK YOU.

Written by Alexandria

If it hadn’t been for Project HEAL I would still be living day-in and day-out in my mundane existence. I was leading a dull life with continuous routine and predictable obligations that drained the life out of me. I wasn’t me. I was my anorexia. Recovery use to be just a dream, but now it is my reality. Recovery not only gave me a voice, but it gave me a life. Recovery is my new life and I’m loving it. It may be a long road of bumps and bruises but it’s so worth it.

Written by Rose

I am so grateful to everyone at Project HEAL for giving me the opportunity to fight for my life back. My eating disorder took everything away from me, I never would have been able to even imagine a life without my eating disorder but now I’m getting closer and closer to being the happy Rose that I was intended to be. I can’t believe the huge hearts and large amount of dedication and love I felt from Project HEAL. They truly gave me hope and encouragement in moments when I was at my lowest. Full recovery will take a lot more work to achieve but now it’s a graspable concept that I never thought was possible.

Written by Melanie

Allowing myself to be vulnerable and ask for help from Project HEAL has turned out to be one of the best choices of my life. Outwardly, I had so many markers of success: a happy relationship, a decent job, a Ph.D. But on the inside, I was completely falling apart from years of living with anorexia.The gift from Project HEAL allowed me to attend residential treatment for the first time, and it was the most beneficial experience I could have asked for. After 10+ years with anorexia, I never imagined the possibility of a life without an eating disorder. These days, I’m starting to recognize that I can have a life outside of anorexia. I will never forget the kindness and support that Liana and Kristina gave to me, and I am doing my best to pay it forward.

Written by Merlyn

I was in a period in my life where I had abandoned all hope for my future. My self-worth was lost and I did not know who I was without E.D. I knew I needed treatment right away, but I had no way to afford it. Luckily, I was able to learn about Project HEAL’s remarkable mission to provide treatment for people suffering from eating disorders. I read Liana’s and Kristina’s stories online and it sparked a glimmer of hope in myself. I knew if they could recover and find happiness then I could too. Liana and Kristina spoke to me on the phone and I knew I was meeting with people who would change my life. Thanks to Project HEAL for restoring my hope and making me realize that I can begin living my life NOW.

Written by Daniella

I recognize that my recovery is my foundation for living my life’s purpose and being of service. This strong foundation grows as I walk a kind, gentle, joyful, and courageous path. I look forward to supporting others on the path of recovery from an eating disorder through advocacy work. Meanwhile, I am continuing to build my life’s work of facilitating transformative nature based education and healing programs. Project HEAL has given me the gift of transforming my relationship with myself, my body, and my life, as has support me in building a life worth living!

Written by Olivia

I feel so appreciative and blessed to have been chosen for the opportunity to receive the treatment that I so desperately need to save my life. Project HEAL is such an amazing organization that has helped so many people and it is a true inspiration that proves recovery is possible, and once you are able to help yourself, you can also help so many others dealing with the same struggles.

Written by Angela

My life changed forever when I met the girls of Project HEAL and was sent to Remuda Ranch. Not only was I given an amazing opportunity that I thank God for, but I also learned that there was hope, that someone DID care and believe in me, and there was more to me than being sick. The recovery journey and unmatched kindness and compassion of Project HEAL have helped to shine a light in my darkness and call to an end my secret and silent suffering. Thank you Project HEAL! I don’t know where I’d be without you [and I don’t want to know]. Because of your help I am alive, and I am LIVING.

Written and drawn by Jessica

Dear My Saviors,

I thank you a million times for giving me the opportunity to be a part of princeton. This program taught me a lot, made me happy, laugh, smile, grow & live! You are all my role models! It was great to meet people (you) who understand me, and that since you guys all recovered, there’s hope for me also! Thank you so much!